Hi All,

I have A LOT of change going on this week! Last week Chad and I enjoyed a trip to Colorado with some of our best friends! We are so blessed to have gotten to share our time with such good people. And our little's were in great hands so we had nothing to worry about! We stayed at a beautiful resort at the the bottom of Keystone Mountain. We went skiing, ice skating, out in down town Denver and ate at some very delicious restaurants! I can't wait to go back!

At Innovative when a client mentions that they are going on a vacation I usually say since it is a special occasion to have fun and enjoy in all areas of the trip including the food, but to still be conscious of what you are fueling your body with. Unfortunately I did not follow suit! I ate and drank terribly along with the rest of the crew. Although it is nice to have those extras every once in a while, my body did/does not like it! So I decided upon our return that I would take part in a 21 day sugar detox! I need it! Since I still maintained my weight and do not want to lose any more I don't want/need to go back to phase 1, but I need to get these toxins out of my body and cut the cravings. I have been researching this detox for quite a while and since I follow some of the Paleo lifestyle, but have not jumped in full force, I am going to give it a try for 21 days! This program is made for those who may be struggling with sugar and carb cravings, are looking to hit a reset button or just feel you could benefit from getting the sugar and junk out of your life to just FEEL BETTER! So if you are in maintenance and want to join please feel free to email me with any questions you may have.

I did a lot of prepping yesterday, even more so than I normally do since I can't have some of my staples. I have posted a few of my recipes that I will be making for my family this week.

Enjoy!

Garlic Sweet Potato Rounds

Ingredients

• 5 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup EVOO
• Salt and pepper
• 4 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

Directions

Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees . Using a blender, puree the garlic, EVOO and 1 tsp. salt. In an extra-large (2-gallon) resealable plastic bag, toss the potatoes, garlic oil, 1/2 tsp. pepper and the thyme until well coated. Spread the potatoes in a single layer on 2 large, parchment-lined baking sheets. 1. Roast the potatoes until golden-brown and tender, turning the slices and switching the pans halfway through baking, 35 to 40 minutes.

Tangy Avocado Dressing

(I have this setting in the fridge and I can't wait to try it!)

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe avocados
• juice of 1.5 limes
• 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/8-1/4 cup water (more if necessary to reach desired consistency)
• About 4 sprigs of cilantro
• 1-2 tsp sea salt
• 1.5 tsp garlic powder
• pepper to taste

Directions:

•  Combine all ingredients in a food processor, and blend until smooth.
• If the dressing is not your desired consistency, add water, just a tsp at a time.
• Taste, and add more salt, garlic, etc if necessary.
• Place in an airtight jar an refrigerate for up to 10 days.

Spaghetti Squash

	1 Large spaghetti squash (about 4 cups) cooked and prepared
	1 tsp Garlic powder or seasoning of choice
	1/2 tsp Pepper
	1/2 tsp Salt (or to taste)
	2 cups lean ground meat
	1 cup Tomato sauce of choice   ( I make my own)
	Prepare spaghetti squash by microwaving for 5-10 minutes, or until soft, (be sure to pierce with a knife before microwaving to release steam). Or bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, or until squash is soft. This allows the skin to soften, which makes it easier to cut in half lengthwise! Split the spaghetti squash into two even halves. Be careful, it’s hot Remove the seeds first, and throw them away. Using a fork, loosen the ’spaghetti’ strands from the inside of the squash, scraping them into a bowl or plate.Pick out your favorite seasonings you would use to flavor any traditional pasta dish.  Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray.  Add spaghetti squash “noodles” to the sauteed pan, along with the seasonings of your choice. Let squash cook for about 2-3 minutes over medium high heat, stirring constantly until the squash has become more tender and the excess moisture has cooked out of the squash. (You could eat it just like this, or move on to the next step to make the meat sauce.) To make my meat sauce I use lean ground beef or turkey would work just as well!  I also used my own spaghetti sauce or you could use a low calorie spaghetti sauce, (50 calories per 1/2 cup) Saute the ground meat crumbles and sauce over high heat until the ‘meat’ is cooked through. Place 1/2 of the spaghetti squash onto a plate, and top with 1/2 of the meat sauce. Serve warm and enjoy! Crock pot Chicken Curry (I can't wait to make this! Lately I have been in love with anything curry.) Ingredients: 1 to 1.5 pounds of boneless chicken thighs 1 or 2 cans of coconut milk Curry paste – 3 Tbs is usually what I put, but you choose what suits you best. 1 small yellow onion 1 medium red bell pepper 1 medium green bell pepper 1/2 head of cabbage. You could use more if you wanted to. Instructions (this is easy): Turn your crock pot on before you start your prep, and get a head start. Pour your coconut milk into your Crock Pot and add your curry paste. Make sure you stir until dissolved in the coconut milk. Cut your chicken thighs into 1″ cubes.  Just cut them up and dump them into the pot and stir. Cut your red and green peppers into similar 1″ cubes. Dump into pot and stir. Cut your onion into similar chunks. Cut your head of cabbage in half, and quarter the half you are going to use. Simply cut the wedges into thin strips and then break apart with your hands. This is much easier than using a grater, and you can always chop the cabbage to your desired shape. I personally wanted longer pieces. Add the cabbage to the top of your pot and again stir, trying to coat the cabbage with the coconut milk. It is fine if the cabbage is not submerged, it will cook down. Cover and let cook on low for 4 hours. This recipe should take about 10 minutes of combined prep and cleanup time, and is very cost effective. Garnish with some scallions and red chili sauce. Also, along with this change I have decided to run the Marion Arts Festival Half Marathon on May 18th! I have not ran a half since before Brodie was born so I am a little nervous, but very excited at the same time! I am always looking for guidance and how to better myself and time when working out and I found a new app on my phone called Map My Run and it is AWESOME!!! I definitely recommend it! I went out for a light jog with Brodie yesterday and pressed start and with GPS it gave me my route and distance. It told me my split times and when I needed to pick up the pace. They also have Map My Walk and Map My Bicycle. I am using the Hal Higdon Training Program for my training. I have not used this before in the passed, but have heard great things! Wish me luck, and again if anybody wants to jump on board I would be happy have a few extra feet to run beside! :) Happy Tuesday XO, Linds